Microsoft has just splashed out over a $1 billion to purchase patents from AOL. The deal worth $1.056 billion will be sealed by the end of 2012 and AOL will exchange 300 patents to Microsoft who will be able to use them under a non-exclusive license.

The patents and patent applications relate to advertising, content generation, content management, multimedia and security. Tim Armstrong, AOL’s Chairman and CEO explains:

“We continue to hold a valuable patent portfolio as highlighted by the license we entered into with Microsoft. The combined sale and licensing arrangement unlocks current dollar value for our shareholders and enables AOL to continue to aggressively execute on our strategy to create long-term shareholder value.”

AOL is expected to sell stock from one of the subsidiaries as part of the transaction; resulting in taxes connected with the sale being rendered immaterial.

AOL is also planning to utilise approximately $40 million of existing deferred tax asset to offset charges related to its remaining patent portfolio, as well as forward a ’significant’ amount of the proceeds to AOL shareholders.

via zdnet

Criminals are using thermal cameras to steal your ATM PIN number. They can sometimes tell the order too. What in the hell is next? Researchers pointed thermal cameras towards plastic ATM PIN pads and the success rate of detecting all the digits was very high. Just think about it. Thieves are out there in droves for GOD’s sake. Just enter the PIN on the hot screen and do some random punches first. Makes it harder for them.

SAN FRANCISCO — The parent company of GoDaddy.com, a top registrar of Internet domain names, has been sold to a group of private investment firms for $2.25 billion, a person familiar with the transaction told The Associated Press.

Go Daddy Group Inc.’s sale to KKR, Silver Lake and Technology Crossover Ventures comes as the company expects to top $1.1 billion in revenue this year because expanding Internet use has fueled the creation of more websites and the “domains” needed to help find them. Go Daddy announced the sale late Friday. A person close to the transaction, who asked to remain anonymous because of not being authorized to speak publicly, told the AP the sale price.

A fact sheet accompanying the release indicated that Go Daddy’s revenue has grown by more than 20 percent in each of the past several years.

The Go Daddy Group Inc. was founded in 1997 by Bob Parsons, who continues to serve as its CEO. The company, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., manages more than 48 million domain names, and sells other Internet-related technologies.

via: huffpost

Bitcoin is fast becoming the public’s favorite pretend digital dough, sure. But guess what? Turns out there are plenty of shops that are ready to conduct a transactions with you in the flesh. It’s a good way for those stores to get new customers. Let’s see if they last in this ever increasing competitive world. Time will tell.